Parshas Behaalotecha: Dispel the Darkness with the Light of Love

The Torah reading this week, Behaalotecha: Bamidbar (Numbers) 8:1 - 12:16, continues with a consciousness raising theme, this time related to the lighting of the Menorah in the inner chamber of the Tabernacle. The kindling of the wicks until they remain lit represents a psychic shift from a self conscious human mind to a Divine consciousness that doesn't wane. This is the only true and lasting remedy for the human mind sickened with ungodly thoughts. far more effective and long lasting than talk or drug therapy - with no negative side effects!

The first Menorah was fashioned out of a single piece of gold, rather than welded together, and the seven branches all faced the center, signifying a unified Divine consciousness of people capable of dispelling darkness and evil in our world.

In this portion, Moses instructs the Israelites on the Passover observance, marking the first anniversary of the passing over of the angel of death preparatory to the Exodus from Egypt. People are dying from injury, exposure, and sickness after leaving Egypt and camping out at Mt. Sinai for months. Anyone attending to the needs of the deceased becomes ritually impure. Those who are ritually impure due to contact with a human corpse may not participate in the Passover rituals.They complain and demand a modified observance, which is declined. Instead, they are given a chance to purify themselves and observe a second Passover a month later, as is anyone who had been distant from the camp during the earlier observance.

The cloud covering the tabernacle lifts to signal a departure. Trumpets sound. The journey begins. Problems arise on the edges of the camp, a good distance from the holy activities of the priests at the center. People at the perimeter lack moral support for this new way of life introduced to them months earlier. Old ideas and behaviors return, triggering a holy fire that consumes many of them as well as the 70 elders who failed to correct them.

Inundated and disgusted with complaints from the people, Moses protests to God, who offers to imbue 70 new proven leaders with the spirit of Moses who will help carry the burden. So prevalent is the quarreling, even Miriam succumbs by finding fault with Moses' divorce and telling Aaron about it. She is scolded by banishment from the camp with a case of leprosy for a week.

Our Haftarah portion, Zachariah 2:14 - 4:7, reflects the Torah portion by alluding to a vision of a golden seven branched Menorah that will blaze when the God of Israel once again resides in Jerusalem. This will occur after His people repent from their waywardness and return to living in a Divine consciousness. "Not by military force and not by physical strength, but by My spirit,' says the Lord of Hosts."

Whenever I read in the Tanakh about ritual impurity from close proximity to a human corpse, I think about the thousands of people who experience or do abortions, which is the intentional destruction and death of a human body. I think about the spiritual death that happens to the post abortive parents, family members, and providers of the deed. Until the spiritual death of everyone involved is acknowledged and addressed, society will continue to suffer, decay and die.

God always gives us a second chance, though. His mercy always offers healing for people who have little or no idea how they will suffer after abortion, but who seriously lament the decision and return to Him. Following the example of Aaron, even those who will not concede guilt may be reached through persistent peaceful and loving outreach. They are not a lost cause. We're all about that approach at the JPLF, always working to share our message of life affirming Judaism with Jews and non-Jews, here and now in Israel. God loves all of us, even those who don't agree with us!

Cecily Routman

May there be abundant peace from Heaven, and good life upon us and upon all Israel. Amen.